Airplane



Nov. 21', 1944. J. HEITMANN ,2,353,129

` AiRPLANE, i

'Filed Dec. s, 194s Y s sheets-snaai IN V EN TOR.

J. HEITMANN New; 2, 1944.,

AIRPLANE- Filed Dec. 5, 1945 s sheets-sheet s.

IN VEN TOR. Jeff/v Hamm/m lrraP/vfr mw l A Patented Nov. 21, 1944 iUNITED STATESA PATENT oFFics Applicatzxllclliernz, 512,700

v 6 Clims. ICl. 244-7) This invention relates to airplanes, and aims toprovide new and useful improvements whereby the plane may be-made toflylforward in the usual manner, but in addition thereto to rise straightinto the air, to remain stationary in the air or to move forward orbackward at very slow speeds sov that the plane may be said to maneuverslowly in the air, and to descendslowly in a vertical direction.

The plane is furthermore provided with means for being propelled on theground in thel same manner as an automobile, and also with dirigible-means so that it may change its direction of flightwhile maneuveringvery slowly or more rapidly. I k p The above as well as other objectswill become apparent in the following description,y wherein charactersAof reference refer to'like-numbered parts in the accompanying drawings.It is to be understood that the drawings are intended to serve thepurpose of 'illustration only, and it is neitherintended nor desired tolimit the invention necessarily to the specific details shown exceptinginsofar as they may be deemed essential to the invention. A

Referring briefly to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the plane.

Fig. 2 is a sideelevational vi'ew of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line -.'fl---3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3 8 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 ls a cross-sectional view taken on the line 7 1 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view of the plane, showing the wings swunginto vertical position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral Ill `indicates thefuselage or body of the plane, and the numerals II the wings thereof.The wings II are pivotally secured to the body I8 on shafts or spindlesI2 supported in lateral; spaced projections I3 and I4 extending from thesides of the body. The wing portion I5 intermediate the projections I3and I4 is'semicircular 'in outline, and the body I8 is provided withcomplementary cut-outs I8 to provide space for the movement of thesewing extensions during swinging of the wings from the horizontal to thevernon.

A single motor is shown at I1, connected with a gear box I8 from which amain shaft I8 extends rearward. Stubs shafts 28 extend laterally fromthe gear box I8, meshing through bevel gears 2|. withshafts 22, whichpass into and through agear boxes 25. Through bevel gearsl 23 the shaft22 drives a wor'm 24 in mesh with a wormgear 26 keyed to the wingspindle I2, the latter being rigid in the wing I I but rotatably mountedin -the body extensions I3 and I4; thus, actuation of the shafts 20 willcause the wings I I to be swung about their pivots.

Loosely mounted on each shaft I2 and rigidly supported on a tubularbracket or sleeve I2a surrounding `the shaft I2 and secured to the bodyprojection I4, is a bevelgear 21 in mesh with a bevel gear 28 rigid on ashaft 29. AA circular cut-out 30 is formed through each wing II'and isprovided with an-annular ledge 3| rigid with the wing. Resting slidablythereon is a ilat ring 32 having that edge facing the center formed intoan upward and outward extending flange 33, and having further aninternally extending peripheral lip 34. A clamping ring 35, secured from the bottom to the ledge 3| in any suitable manner,

notl shown, has its upper jaw or flange embracing the annular projection33, and thereby maintains the ring 32 on the ledge 3 I.

A-pair of annularracks 31 and 38 are arranged concentrlcally one withinthe other on the ring 32, the outer rack 38 being secured to the ring32, as by screws, and the inner rack 31 being freely slldable onthe ring32 and having an annular lip 39 registering under the ange 33; Rackteeth areprovided on the rack 38 through only,

about a quadrant thereof, and in mesh therewith is a pinion 40 on aVshaft 4I supported in the wing. Through bevel gears 42, the shaft 23drives the pinion 43 and hence turns the rack38.

A web-like frame 43 is rigid with and is supported by a portion of theflange 33 of the ring 32, and extends in to the center of the circularwing opening 30. At the center of this opening a propeller 44 is mountedon' a shaft 45 provided witha `pinion 46 on the end thereof. The pinion46 is in mesh with the rack 31, and it is apparent that rotation of .therack 3`I`will cause rotation of the propeller 44. b

The motor shaft I9 has a transmission bevel gear 41 thereon, in -meshwith bevel gears 4l rigid on shafts 49. The wing extensions I5 ar'eprovided with vertical slots therethrough extending from the shafts 49upward through the sur.. faces f thereof.- For each wins, a sleeve 5I isrotatably mounted on the spindle I2, and a bevel gear 52 is 'rigid withthis gear; a bevel gear 53 on the shaft 49 is in mesh with the gear 52.A bevel gear 55, rigid on a stub shaft 54, is in mesh with gear 52, anda pinion 56 on the shaft 54 is in mesh with the rack 31. Thus rotationof the moto'r shaft I9 causes rotation of the propellers 44,

, The operation of the mechanism so far described may now be set forth.The propellers 44 are actuated, as just mentioned, by rotation of themain shaft I9, through the media of the shafts 49, I, and 54, wherebythe racks 31 are rotated by the pinions 56, thus causing the racks torotate the propeller pinions 46. For normal straightahead flight, thewings are in the horizontal* position, or, rather, the fully spread'position, shown in Fig. 1. To rise vertically from the ground, the wingsI I are swung upward about their pivots I2 by engagement of the shafts28 in the gear box I8 by means of a suitable clutch or the like, notshown, operated by the pilot. Thus, through the media of shafts 22 and24 the spindle I2 is turned,

and with it turns the rigid bevel gear 21. The shaft 29 is thus rotated,and in turn rotates shaft 4I and pinion 40, the latter turning the rack38 and hence the propeller support 43 and the propeller. The maximum arcthrough which the wings can be swung is, as seen in `Eig. 9, 90 degrees;hence rack teeth are needed over a similar arc on the rack 38, and whenthe wings have assumed the maximum vertical position the propellers willalso have been swung through a 90 degree arc into their positions shownin Fig. 9. Thereby the propellers will tend to lift the plane straightinto the air. It is to be noted that the propellers may be runningduring the entire time that the wings are being swung about theirpivots, and

' thus the direction of pull or lift of the propellers may lie in anyangle between the straight ahead and the straight up positions, and thatthe wings may be stopped in any such intermediate position with thepropellers running.

The main shaft I9 extends all the way rearward of the body, and a bevelgear 51 thereon meshes with a similar gear 58 on a vertical shaft 59extending upward and having a bevel gear 60 on its upper end. A doublebevel gear 62 has its stub shaft 63 supported inthe frame 6I and isprovided with the spaced bevel gear teeth 64 and 65. A block or housing66 has a rigid4 stub shaft 61 rotatably anchored in an axial recess inthe face of the gear 62, and has a second coaxial shaft or rod 68extending rigidly from the opposed side thereof on which a bevel gear 69is rigid. A stub shaft is rotatably mounted in the block 66, on the freeend of which a propeller 1I is fixed, and is provided with a rigid bevelgear 12 in mesh with the smaller bevel gear 65 of the double bevelgear62.-

ri'he normal Aposition for straight-ahead motion of the plane is thatshown in Figs. l, 2, and 6,

with the propeller 1I exerting` a straight-ahead pull and actuatedsimultaneously with the propel- 1ers 44 by the main shaft I9. Anauxiliary shaft 13 extends rearward from the gear box 25, and a clutch,not shown, may be associated with this gear boxv so that the shaft 413may be rotated simultaneously with the shaft 22 when desired. A bevelgear 14 on the end of the shaft 13meshes with a bevel gear on a verticalshaft 16 having the beve1 gear 11 on its upper end in mesh with thebevel gear 69. It is apparent that rotation of the shaft 13 will thuscause'rotation of the shaft 61 and block 66, thereby carrying with itthe propeller shaft 10. Thus, the propeller 1I vcan be swung from theforward position shown Thus the propeller 1I may be utilized togetherwith the propellers 44 to lift the plane straight' into the air, orindependently, when facing rearward, as a brake to retard the forwardmotion of the plane. n

A vertical sleeve or housing 18 has its lower end.

-93 enlarged, and a peripheral portion above the lower end, i. e., anarcuate neck, 94, extends rotat..

ably through an arcuate slot in the roof of the body I0; a. shaft 19within the sleeve 18 is rigidly supported on the roof. This shaft has abevel gear 8| on its upper end, and the sleeve extension 93 has asprocket gear 80 on its lower end, about which is trained a chain 82.-Coaxialiy and pivotally mounted in the two opposed arms of ahorizontally extending bracket 83 rigid with the tube 18, are a pair ofhorizontal staffs 8d having bevel gears 85 in mesh with the bevel geardi.

vTubes 86 are rigid on the staffs 84, and depending `rigidly from thetubes 86 are vanes 81. It isapparent that actuation of the chain 82 willcause simultaneous swinging of the vanes 81 on their pivots in oppositedirections and rotation of the sleeve 19 with consequent swinging of thevanes in a, horizontal arc. The normal position of the vanes 81 is thatshown in Figs. l and' 2, and in Fig. 9 they are shown in a positiondisplaced from the normal. The chain 82 may be connected to any suitablecontrol wheel or lever, not shown, accessible. to the pilot. Control ofthese vanes will enable small and rapid Ylateral to and fro changes indirection of the plane, as may be required in traiilc.

A set of rear wheels 92 isv provided under the Abody I0. A. drive shaft88 for these wheels extends from the gear box I8-tlirough the medium ofa clutch, not shown, and a bevel gear 89 on the end thereof meshes 'witha ,bevel gear 93 on the axle 9| of the wheels 92. /The usual set offront wheels is shown at 93. Thus, the planel may be propelled on theground in the fashion of an autov mobile, especially with the wings inraised position, whenever necessary or desirable; The usual rudder isshown at 94.

A plane constructed along the lines of this specification may beutilized for fast travel in the -usual manner, and also for straight, ornearlyv straight, ascent and descent, -as is obvious. On

the ground it. can weave through traffic and pass through narrow spaces.I can also achieve other desirable objects in the art of flying, whichneed not be set forth in detail. Obviously, modifications in form andstructure may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of theinvention.

I'claim: 1. \An airplane comprising a body and wings,

rsaid wings being pivoted to said body on axes rerseL- peller shaftsrotatablymounted in said supports and projecting into said openings andhaving propellers thereon, means for'swinging said wings about theirsaid pivot axes, means for rotating saidA shafts, and means for turningsaid supports about their said pivot axes.

3. An airplane comprising a body and wings,

said wings bein-g pivoted to said body on axes ously turning saidsupports about their pivots, and

means for 4rotating said shafts.

4.aAn airplane comprising a body and wings,

- said wings being pivoted to said body on axes parallel with the axisof the body, said wings having openings therethrough, supports pivotallymounted in the wings in the peripheres of said openings, shaftsrotatablymounted in said supports and projecting toward the centers ofsaid openings and having propellers on the ends thereof, means forrotating said shafts, and means for simultaneously swinging said wingsabout their said vaxes and for turning said supports about their pivots.

5. An airplane comprising a body and wings,'

said wings being pivoted to said body on axes parallel with the axis ofthe body andk having circular openings therethrough, a rack rotatablymounted in each of said wings in the periphery of said opening andhaving a shaft rotatably mounted therein projecting toward the center ofsaid openings, a propeller on the end of said shaft,

'means for rotating said shaft, means for swinging said wings abouttheir said axes, a pinion in mesh with said rack, and means associatedwith said pinion and said rst means for turning said rack simultaneouslywith said swinging of said wings.

6. An airplane comprising a body and wings, said Wings being pivoted tosaid body on axes vparallel with the axis of the body and havingcircular openings therethrough, a circular rack rotatably mounted ineach of said wings in the periphery lof said opening, a shaft rotatablymounted in said rack and projecting towardl the 1 center of said openingand having a propeller on the end thereof, said rack having an internalannular ange thereon, a second circular rack slidably and rotatablymounted on said angeya pinion on said shaft inmesh withsad second rack,means for rotating said pinion to rotate said propeller shaft, aV pinionin mesh with said firstv rack, means for swinging said wings on theirsaid axes, and means associated with said last-.named means and withsaid last-named pinion forturn,l -ing said' first rack simultaneouslywith said swinging of said wings.

l v JOHN HmTMANN.

